The life and letters of Washington Irving . ed by turns through the night. He got upand sat in his chair at daybreak, when it subsided. He then readme an interesting and touching letter just received from WilliamC. Preston, ex-Senator of the United States, his old travellingcompanion in Scotland, now paralytic, but with all his brilliantpowers yet unimpaired. Those nights, when I look back upon them, seem a strangemingling ; for, between the paroxysms of distress, he would seizeon any thing to divert his own thoughts, or to relieve what hefeared must be the weariness of those who were watching
The life and letters of Washington Irving . ed by turns through the night. He got upand sat in his chair at daybreak, when it subsided. He then readme an interesting and touching letter just received from WilliamC. Preston, ex-Senator of the United States, his old travellingcompanion in Scotland, now paralytic, but with all his brilliantpowers yet unimpaired. Those nights, when I look back upon them, seem a strangemingling ; for, between the paroxysms of distress, he would seizeon any thing to divert his own thoughts, or to relieve what hefeared must be the weariness of those who were watching withhim. He would read or relate any thing that interested him at themoment, and so endeavor to cheat the hours till day. I give theletter:— [William C. Preston to Washington Irving^ Charlottesville, Va., May ii, Dear Sir:— Seeing, in yesterdays National Intelligencer (the only paper that Inow read), that you had been ill, but were recovered, I was prompted towrite to you at once what an unabated interest I cherish for you. My. //?;/ LIFE AND LETTERS OF WASHINGTON IRVING. 245 last communication with you was an act of kindness to me, in sendingsome letters of introduction for my friend Hampton, to Europe. Hamp-ton did wiser than to go to Europe; he got married, and keeps yourletters as precious autographs. Those that I have had from you havelong since been begged or stolen from me by piecemeal, and I have oftenhad an enhanced consideration, when it was known that I had been anacquaintance of Washington Irving ; for I dont believe that any man, inany country, has ever had a more affectionate admiration for him thanthat given to you in America. I believe that we have had but one manwho is so much in the popular heart. On reading this notice in the Intelligencer, I found in my memory(what, for aught I know, may be common to old men) a sort of mirage,which made distant objects rise above those more near. My mind at oncerecalled Jones of the Brinn and Loch Katrine, and i
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1883
